THE Sabah Fisheries Department added six new types of fish this year to the endangered species list under the Fisheries Act 1985.

Assistant dept director Lawrence Kissol said the four species of sharks and two of rays were now classified as endangered.

“Currently, there are 36 species of endangered marine life under the Fisheries Act.

“For this reason, the Sabah Fisheries Department is making its rounds in 17 districts, especially the coastal areas, to raise awareness about marine species that should not be caught or sold,” he said, at an endangered species socialisation programme, today, at the Sandakan wet market.

The six endangered species of cartilaginous fish are the smooth hammerhead shark, great hammerhead shark, winghead shark, oceanic whitetip shark, great oceanic manta ray and reef manta ray.

Kissol advised fishermen to release endangered marine species back into the sea if they were caught in fishing nets. – Bernama, November 8, 2019.